The Day The Raiders Returned
by eaglesgrl365
Summary: Wanda has waited as long as she could hang onto her sanity for the raiders to return. What will happen when Ian isnt with them? Please give me feedback. I would love to know what you think.
1. Returned

The days I spent without Ian were tedious and most of my time was spent worrying and awaiting his return. This is why it was such a relief to me when Jamie cane to my room to give me the good news. Little did I know the result of this trip would not just be on my mental state the weeks the raiders were gone but would remain a pain to me for the rest of my human life. This would most likely be the last life I could bear to live.

"Wanda, the raid is over." Jamie called from the hallway to my room. I had spent much of the past days here only leaving to eat, bathe, use the latrine, or do what chores I could.

The excitement the four words triggered in me was extreme. I was on my feet in a second darting out the hall. Jamie stood there waiting for me.

"I need to talk to you." He said somberly. I quickly dismissed his mood only one thought running through my head. _Ian Is back._

"Later." I said ducking under his arm to run out of the cave leading to multiple other rooms.

The halls were empty. The raiders were home and everyone would be crowded around the dirty group of men returned from their trip.

I darted through the halls stumbling once just to pick myself up and keep sprinting.

I was out of breath by the time I reached the mirror room. Everyone was there in a crowd. This time I noticed a difference in the atmosphere. It was tense and depressing.

I made my way through the crowd of my human family into the center where the raiders were. They were all dirty and it was easily noticeable that they were the center of the depression.

I looked around the group of men for the man I wanted to see.

I rattled off the names of the men in my head but there was something missing. I looked over them three times. Everyone was watching me. _Jared, Kyle, Brandt, Heath. Jared, Kyle, Brandt, Heath. Jared, Kyle, Brandt, Heath._

"Where's Ian?" I asked confusion written on my expression.

"He didn't come back." Jared said looking down. I noticed Melanie, her arms wrapped around Jared's waist, her face twisted with pity.

"What do you mean? Where is he?" I asked looking at Jared. I focused on his eyes trying to detect any emotion. All I saw was sadness and regret.

"I'm sorry Wanda." He said looking down.

Realization crashed down on me. My shoulders sagged and I felt tears overflow my eyes. I fell to my knees onto the hard rock floor. I winced in pain but I didn't pay it any attention to that. A sob erupted from my chest and echoed through the room.

_Ian's not coming back. He's gone. _These were my only thoughts. I repeated them.

I felt a arm wrap around me, but this wasn't the touch I wanted.

"Wanda, It's going to be okay." Jamie said trying to be brave. I heard the tremor in his voice and felt warm spots soak through my shirt. He was crying too.

I would have comforted Jamie, I would have told him it was alright. I would have said these things but that would have been a lie. The world was a horrible place today. This place I loved was now like prison to me.

The cavern was just an echo of my sobs. I didn't know who was there but it didn't matter because I knew who wasn't. And yet again I wished Ian had never left without me. I would have rather died by his side than have this news brought to me the day the raiders returned.


	2. Overload

The room cleared as I wept in sorrow until only Jamie and Mel remained with me.

I was curled up against Jamie's chest and Melanie sat with her legs crossed watching me. The same thoughts were running through my head. _Ian isn't coming back. Ian's gone._

"Wanda, you should eat something. You're going into shock." This voice was unexpected. I hadn't seen Doc in awhile.

"She hasn't moved for hours." Melanie told him. I could tell my depression was hurting her. I loved Mel and Jamie but my terror just wouldn't stop for their sakes.

"Wanda, please listen to Doc." Jamie pleaded. "You need to eat." I was hurting Jamie too.

I shook my head and put my head between my knees. I was dizzy. Of course I was going into shock, I loved Ian and now I would never feel his hand wrapped around mine. I would never hear his voice again. I would never feel his lips on my forehead when he thought I was asleep.

"Maybe we should get her to the south wing." Doc suggested.

I shuddered involuntarily at the thought of lying in the hospital crying.

"That might be a good idea." Melanie answered.

I peered up at Melanie giving her an icy glare.

She shrugged and answered me with a sigh. "What else can we do Wanda? We can't just let you sit here."

I looked down again and let my tears once again flow freely.

"I'll get Jared to carry her." Doc said. I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway and the quiet despair returned.

I couldn't tell how long it took but eventually Doc returned not with Jared but with Kyle.

"Where's Jared?" Mel asked curiously. I could tell she wanted to see him but she was like my sister and wouldn't leave my side in my time of need. I wished she would just go. I loved Mel but at the time all I wanted to do was sit alone and sob.

"He's not in a good mood." Doc replied in a hushed voice.

I heard Melanie stand up slowly stretching her muscles and move over to stand by Doc. "What's wrong with him?" She asked.

"It's the first time he's lost someone on a raid." Doc said in a hushed tone. "He's taking it hard."

"Oh." Melanie said frowning.

"Mel," I started and my voice cracked from hours of not being used. "GO be with Jared." I said looking up at her. "Take Jamie to bed." I added turning slowly to see him curled in a ball on the floor fast asleep.

"Wanda you need me more now." She said moving toward me.

"I'm not going to the hospital." I said slowly moving to stand up. "I'm going to my room." I was dizzy when I stood up and stumbled into Kyle who grabbed my shoulders to steady me.

"Wanda, he was my brother and I knew him." I hated the use of past tense and the resigned look in Kyle's eyes. "He wouldn't want to see you like this." He ended. I hated looking at Kyle now. Since Sunny came he was a much kinder and more gentle person. The kind look on his face reminded me too much of his brother.

"I will mourn for Ian as long as I live." I stated weakly. I was still dizzy from exhaustion and lack of nutrition.

"Wanda I don't think you should sleep alone tonight." Jamie said drowsily. He was awake sitting against the wall drowsily yawning.

"Jamie, go to your room and get some sleep. I'll be," but I couldn't finish that sentence because I wouldn't be fine. Not without Ian sprawled out on the mattress beside me.

Then I slowly walked off to my room. Ian's clothes still lay in a pile in the corner. His pillow in its place; it smelled like him. His blanket was in a heap at the bottom of his mattress.

As I gazed at Ian's belongings as he had left him another wave of crippling sorrow overcame me and before I knew it the room was a blur as my head fell toward the floor and in my state of unconsciousness I dreamt about my early days in the caves. 

I remembered the hatred Ian along with most everyone else in the caves felt toward me. I heard Melanie's voice in my head like when we shared a joint conscious. I remembered the burning love I felt for Jared. I remembered my first kiss with Ian. I dreamt about what should have been my last days in these caves. Lastly I remembered something Ian had said to me when I woke up in my new body. _"I held you in my hand, Wanderer. And you were so beautiful"_


	3. Tribunal

I was awakened by a gentle prodding on my head. It hurt; there was a sore spot I didn't remember.

"Oh, you're awake." Doc said in relief.

"Where am I?" I asked. I didn't open my eyes. The light from behind my lids was enough to give me a headache.

"Do you remember what happened?" He asked me.

"Ian." I moaned as he touched a sore spot on my knee.

"Yes." He murmured under his breath.

"I went to my room and I fainted." I said remembering everything I could. Remembering was painful. I wanted to forget. I would never forget though and I wasn't really sure that I wanted to lose everything to my memories. Forgetting Ian would be like forgetting all the happiness and love in this world to me. Ian was unforgettable.

"Wanda can you open your eyes?" Doc asked with concern.

I slowly slit my eyes. As they adjusted I recognized the hospital. "Am I hurt?" I asked. My headache was worsening and I was aware of my knees throbbing.

"You hit your head pretty bad and your knees are swollen with some shallow cuts but that's it besides maybe a couple bruises." He said turning to return to his desk.

I sat up slowly. I was a little dizzy but not very much. I tried to stand but wobbled hopelessly before Doc rushed over to stabilize me.

"I'd rather you laid down. You should stay here awhile." I could tell that my temporary vertigo wasn't the reason.

"What's going on later?" I asked sternly so he would know that I wanted an answer and nothing else.

"A tribunal." He said quietly looking away.

I thought about this for a second. "We need to decide weather or not to leave." I said realization and disapproval covering my tone.

"We don't know what happened back there. We don't know weather to trust," He began before I interrupted him.

"Of course you can trust Ian!" I said louder than I had wanted to. "He would have done anything to keep us safe." I said quietly to myself knowing that Doc would hear. _Even if it meant taking that pill. _I somberly added to myself.

"Get some rest Wanda." Doc said resigned helping me sit down. "I don't think you're ready to go to that tribunal.

"No, I'm going; I have the right to vote and speak for Ian." I said firmly making it a moot point.

"Fine. The tribunal is in an hour. You might as well rest until then." He said resigned.

"Okay." I said smiling thankfully. "Will you wake me when it's time?" I asked hopefully. My depression and tears had exhausted me.

"Sure." He said.

I laid down resting my aching head. I was drifting of into a restless sleep when I heard footsteps echo down the cave toward the cave.

"How is she?" A voice I hadn't heard in a while asked concerned. Jeb had come to check on me; He was a great friend through his strange attitude and sense of humor.

"She's depressed. She still won't eat and she refuses to miss the tribunal." Doc replied with a sigh.

"I'm awake." I said rolling over with a sigh.

Jeb looked up with surprise and walked over to sit on the end of my cot.

"How ya doing hon?" He asked patting my foot.

"How do you think?" I replied icily. I didn't mean to be so rude but life was out of sorts and I wasn't in the mood to be psychoanalyzed.

"Well then." He said frowning. "We'd better get to the game room." He stood up holding out a hand to me.

I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. I was so light he probably didn't notice that I was leaning back, unable to support myself.

"Jeb, why did this happen?" I asked somberly as we headed down the hall. This mind and body had never handled such emotional pain and horror. I felt like my heart was folding in on itself; it was crumpling into pieces causing me physical pain.

"Things like this happen here. Were some of the few humans left here; were surrounded by the enemy and people die. It's just how life works." He replied seriously. This was the type of answer I expected from Jeb but it still hurt to have my worries confirmed. All of my friends, everyone I knew would die and I couldn't stop it. Life here was too short.

"Anyway there are serious matters to go on at this tribunal. We don't know if this place is safe for us to live anymore." He continued seriously.

"But what if there's hope. What if Ian escaped and he's on his way here. It could take him awhile to get here under the radar. He could still be alive. We can't just leave." I said digging for every little bit of hope I had left in my dying heart.

"Wanda I'm sad to say it but there's more of a chance that if he's on his way here right now he's not really himself." Jeb said

"The horrible aching in my chest was overwhelming. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run away into the dessert on a mad chase to find Ian. I would do anything to stop this pure heart break.

Jeb's arm around my waist helped support me as we walked down the long hall.

"Please Jeb, just let me speak my point. We can trust Ian; he either escaped or," I couldn't speak the other alternative aloud.

"You can talk, but I don't think anybody here is going to stay on pure trust." He said sounding apologetic.

"Thank you Jeb." I said gratefully looking into my first true friends eyes.

"No problem hon. We all deserve a chance to speak our opinion in this place where our survival is based on decisions." He said smiling under his white beard.

I pulled away from his arm knowing that I had my balance back.

"We walked the rest of the way in silence.

The game room was crowded with people sitting in little groups. I moved over to sit by Mel, Jared and Jamie.

Mel and Jamie looked at me with concern so I tried to put the most convincing fake smile on my face I could and sat down not looking at any of them.

Jeb stood at the front of the room and looked around to make sure everyone was present.

"Okay everybody listen up." Jeb called over the chatter and echo of our crowd. "We all know why were here so lets get to it. Remember we'll vote on the decision but I get the final say because it's my house my rules." He said "Anybody want to say anything?" He asked. Before I could stand Kyle was on his feet.

"We need to leave." He started. "We can't take a chance on all of our lives just on a hunch." He said firmly. I stood up a look of repulsion on my face. Kyle wouldn't even stay for his brother.

"We didn't leave when we didn't know if you were coming back." Jared said giving a pointed look at Sunny sitting by Kyle's feet. I was glad that Jared was on my side.

"But I did come back, and Ian won't." These words hit me hard and I staggered trying to stand up.

"We can trust Ian." I said as loud as I could without yelling. "He knew what to do and he would do it unless he escaped and is heading here now." I added trying to sound convincing.

"If you all stay then I'm leaving with anyone who is smart enough to go with me." Kyle said glaring at me.

"Now Kyle, were just having a discussion right now, no need to get all worked up and say things well regret later."

"I'm making promises Jeb." He said icily.

"Where would we go if we did leave?" I countered finding the courage to speak. "Every other place we have that could hold all of us Ian knows about. If there is a seeker in him they will check there." By the look on some of the faces looking at me that hit home. "If they did catch him Ian is still there. He won't let them find us." I said. My chest was aching from admitting the possibility that Ian was out there prisoner in the body of a seeker.

Some of the group was murmuring in what seemed to be agreement.

"You're all clueless and stupid if you go with this." Kyle called out in what seemed to be defeat.

"Are we ready to vote?" Jeb called over the loud chatter filling the room. Everyone nodded besides Kyle who seemed to be pouting like a child.

"Okay then, everyone who's for staying raise your hand." He said. I looked around in astonishment as almost all the humans around me raised their hands. Those voting with me didn't include Jared though. I was surprised as I had been sure he was with me on this decision.

"Okay that's majority." Jeb said looking at me. I was smiling truly for the first time since the raiders returned.

Kyle stood up a snarl on his face as he glared at me in disgust. "Then I guess I'm leaving." Sunny stood with him holding his hand.

"Hold on Kyle." Jeb said casually.

"Anyone who wants can come with me." Kyle called over his shoulder heading toward the door.

The loud snap of Jeb's rifle sounded over Kyle's string of profanities. Jeb had it loosely pointed at his back.

"I don't think anyone will be leaving right now considering the bad timing." He said. His calm tome was menacing while he held the gun pointed at Kyle.

"I'm not dying here because my brother's body comes back to betray me." Kyle said angrily.

"Well you take the chance of dying here at your brothers hands or you die leaving because I'm not letting you leave these caves." Jeb said firmly.

"Fine." Kyle said moving to stand in the corner of the room barely visible in the dim light of the lanterns.

"Good, Jared could you go get the ball; I think its time for a game." Jeb said pointing the tip of his gun at the ground.


	4. Caught

**Jared returned with the soccer ball and the excited chatter began. **

"**Who wants to be captains?" Jared called out, he was barely audible through the echoes of the room.**

"**I will." Jamie called out excitedly. I could see him move happily up to stand beside Jared. Lily moved forward to take the position of the other captain.**

"**I want Jared." Jamie called out.**

"**Kyle." Lily said competitively looking for the best players.**

"**Mel."**

**I moved to sit by the exit while they went on choosing players excitedly. "Wanda." I heard Jamie call my name. I looked up and he was smiling at me beckoning with his hands.**

**I stood slowly and moved over to him. "What is it?"**

"**You're on my team." Jamie said smiling hugely at me. I saw his expression drop a little at my bewildered expression. I couldn't play soccer for the life of me. I was too clumsy and fragile, thought I wished I wasn't.**

"**Jamie," I stuttered afraid to disapoint him.**

"**Don't worry, you'll do fine." He said smiling warmly. He knew all too well that I couldn't say no to him and he was using this to his advantage.**

"**I don't want to lose the game for you." I said lamely.**

"**I'll cover you." He said stubbornly.**

"**You'll miss out on all the action then." I said searching for more excuses.**

"**I don't mind. Don't you still have a little bit of Mel in you?" He asked. I remembered the first time I'd played soccer in Melanie's body. I was good, but this time would be different. Thinking of playing soccer with Mel also brought back the memory of playing with Ian and this made me sad.**

"**Fine, I'll play one game." I sighed.**

"**Good." He said not noticing the drop in my mood.**

**The other team started with the ball and soon everyone in the room was moving quickly to block and receive passes. Jamie was the first to pass to me and I quickly lost the ball resulting in a goal for the other team. From then on my team could see how desperately I didn't want the ball and Jamie was the only on who insisted on passing to me.**

**I didn't do much but I was still tired by the end of the game.**

"**I'm done." I said to Jamie panting. Everyone was happily sitting on the ground drinking from the bottles of water Trudy had brought us.**

"**Me too." He said breathing heavily. " Do you want lunch?" He asked reaching out to help me stand.**

"**Sure." I said grabbing his hand.**

**He held my hand as we followed a group to get lunch. We had the normal rolls, onion soup, and roots but there was a delicious smell radiating through the cave.**

"**Hotdogs." Trudy explained watching me sniff at the air. She moved over to one of the stoves and pulled out a pot of boiling hotdogs. She placed one on a plastic plate and put it in front of me.**

"**How many do you want?" She asked Jamie smiling.**

"**I'll start with three." he said grinning.**

"**Three it is." she said picking out the hotdogs.**

**Jamie moaned appreciatively taking his first bite. I took a small bite and couldn't help but quickly finishing off the rest.**

**I sat with Jamie while he finished off his fourth hotdog. He sighed in content and rested against the rock wall.**

"**I'm going to bed." He said sleepily.**

"**No I think you're going to class." I said with as much authority as I could without triggering his defensive arguments.**

"**Wanda," he complained yawning.**

"**Go, I'm sure being lectured by Sharon about sleeping in class will wake you up." I said smiling at his glum expression. I smiled encouragingly and nudged him with my elbow as I slid off the stone counter. I needed some time to myself to think.**

**Jamie moaned but held my hand as we walked out of the kitchen and to the point where we would sepperate.**

"**Where are you going?" Jamie asked suspicion coating his tone.**

"**I need to talk to Doc." I lied. I felt guilty that I had to lie to Jamie. I felt even guiltier that he seemed to completely believe and trust me.**

**As we seperated the guilt twisted my stomach into a knot making me feel like I would vomit.**

**I walked slowly down the corridors with my fingers trailing along the uneven rock walls. I took in the musky scent of the caves and felt the stagnant cave air by my face as I walked. I found the crevice in wanted.**

**First I made my way the whole way down the hall and knelt by a familiar hole in the wall. It was full with the contents of the recent raid but I let my hand linger around the edges. I felt the purplish dirt, rubbing my fingers together .**

**I stood stiffly after what felt like only minutes to me but must have been longer considering how stiff I had become. I sighed and walked out toward the exit turning abruptly down the other branch of the Y shaped tunnel.**

**I expected to find this tunnel deserted and be able to make an easy exit but as I walked I ran into something solid stumbling back automaticaly trying to be as quiet as I could. **

"**Wanda, are you really suicidal?" The rough voice asked. I didn't reply. Was that really what he thought? "You know that you wouldn't find him if you just tried to leave like that, all that would happen is you would get caught alone and have our secrets out there as they probably already are. I think you've caused us enough danger for one day."**

**That was a low blow and a quiet whimper of recognition escaped my lips. I didn't want to put my family in danger, that was never my intention and never would be. I just didn't want to believe that Ian was really gone.**

"**Jared" I said quietly, measuring my words carefully. "I will find him." The words didn't sound as certain as I had tried to make them and he picked up on that.**

"**I'm sorry Wanda, but no you wont. Not by yourself. Not today." He said with authority. Then he sighed and even though I couldn't see his face I saw the slight outline of his hand reach down toward me on the ground to help me stand. I turned and got up ignoring the gesture.**

**He waited until he heard my footsteps falling ahead of him to move from his spot in front of the exit. I stopped and turned to face him.**

"**How did you know?" I asked somberly.**

"**I didn't think you would just give up on him. I guess I was right." He said stopping behind me.**

"**And what about the exit. How did you know which I would go to?"**

"**I didn't. I'll have to tell Mel she can leave her post now." He said humor in his voice. I wondered how he thought any of this could be funny in the least.**

"**Help me." I said managing not to let my voice to be evidence of the tears rolling down my cheeks.**

"**With what?" He asked. We were still at a stand still.**

"**Help me find… Help me find Ian." I said, my voice faltering on the first attempt.**

"**Wanda do you really believe he's out there." He asked pity in his voice.**

"**Don't you?" I asked quietly. "In some way he's alive." I said sounding sure.**

"**Didn't you say they're not offering mature hosts anymore. If someone is in Ian it's a well trained seeker who's not going to be tricked into the van like some of the others." He said louder this time, trying to end the subject.**

"**He's still there. It's torture to him, living in a body he can't control, but he wont let anything slip. They wont find us." I said this knowing that I was right. I was sure. I knew what it was like being trapped in a body, because I was the one inflicting that feeling of imprisonment once, and I felt it through Mel. If Melanie had been as much of a fighter as she was, I was sure Ian would be the same.**

"**I'm gunna see if Jamie will sleep in your room." He said changing the subject from Ian's imprisonment. "You shouldn't be sleeping alone." I heard the double meaning in his words. He didn't want me to be alone, to have more time to dwell, but at the same time he didn't trust me to be alone; not to sneak out in the middle of the night.**

"**Bye Jared." I said with a sigh. I would not see Ian any time soon.**


	5. Delusion

They say that the pain will heal with time. This I do not believe to be true. Every day without Ian brought new pain. It was fresh and new every time I thought of him.

Every memory was a fresh knife piercing my heart. Every time I heard the name tears came to my eyes. Some days it was too much. Depression defined my new outlook on life.

Everyone worried about me. Weeks passed and my mood hadn't yet improved. I stopped keeping track of the time since that horrible day. Jamie slept by my side every night. He loyaly let me lean on his shoulder as I cried night after night, dream after dream.

He was aging because of this. Dark circles underlined his eyes. He barely ever smiled anymore, too tired for his old laughter and cheerfulness. Sometimes Mel would give him a break and sleep in my room with me. She hated to see him like this as much as I did, but he refused to sleep away from me for more than a night.

I got better at hiding the pain as time went on but it never resided. Jamie had better days when I did so I tried not to make my heart break obvious.

Mel had slept with me the night before. I had had a vivid dream of Ian.

I had sat in-between his legs; his arms were wrapped around my waist and I leaned back laying my head under his chin. My hands rested on his. I shifted my head to the side revealing the side and he shifted my hair so that the side of my neck was revealed. I felt his lips press gently to my neck; moving up to my ear.

"I love you." He whispered. His warm breath tickled my ear and I let a content sigh through my lips.

We sat like that for awhile until we were both yawning. He laid down on the ground, pulling me down with, not taking the time to even move to the matress. I lay there in his arms and everything felt right.

Then I woke up. Tears streaked down my face when I realized he wasn't there but I tried my best not to wake Mel. The sum began to light the sky by the time I finally fell back asleep.

That day was harder than others. I remembered my dream often and this made me very depressed. I should have been relieved when the details of the memory began to fade but it just brought more sadness. I wanted to remember Ian like that dream; I didn't want the feel of his touch to fade.

Everyone in the caves noticed my mood and it must have been obvious that I was in a bad condition because everyone was quiet, gentle, and polite near me. They offered me simple jobs to do that would occupy my mind enough to stop me from breaking down.

"Wanda could you knead this dough with me? there's so much."

"Wanda, can you help me rake the fields? It's almost time to plant."

"Hey, would you wash these dishes?"

I did many small jobs as the day went on and soon I was tired enough to fall asleep as I knelt inside the bathing pool, cleaning the dirt from my skin after helping plant seeds.

I walked slowly down the cave corridor not realizing where I was headed. I found myself in the game room. The trickle of the small stream told me where in the place I was. I made my way to the far corner and sat slowly on the ground.

I don't know how long I was there but eventually I fell asleep. My uncomfortable possition must have kept me from dreaming because I woke to the feel that I was swaying but the ground was not under me.

My eyes snapped open and I was startled and dazed by what I saw. My eyes were clouded with sleep and I was sure I was dreaming.

"Ian?"


	6. Reunion

"**I didn't mean to wake you." He said a wide grin spreading over the familiar face that had starred in both my dreams and nightmares for the past couple months.**

**I reached my shaking hand slowly to touch his face. My fingers traced over his forehead, his cheek, his lips, over his eye-lids and down his nose. He freed one hand from under me and held my hand to his face and sighed in content.**

"**You're home." I said. His face was taking on a dream like vision and I was afraid that he would disappear any second.**

"**God, you don't know how much I missed your voice." He whispered closing his eyes. **

"**Does anyone know you're here?" I asked surprised when he shook his head, never taking his eyes off mine. I was glad that I was the first person he found. That would give us some time alone.**

"**I just got here a couple minutes ago." He said.**

"**Oh, how did you find me?"**

"**You weren't in our room." As I contemplated this he yawned hugely and I realized how tired he must be.**

"**Put me down." I commanded not wanting to cause him a burden.**

"**Wanda I'm fine." He said holding me tighter.**

"**Please let me down." I said reaching up to kiss him.**

**Instead of putting me down he pulled me tighter until we were no longer separate people, but one entity. He tangled his hands into my long hair and I pulled my arms tightly around his neck. I hated to break away from this kiss, this great reunion but I was gasping for breath and so was he.**

"**You must be hungry." I said noticing how much weight he had lost.**

"**A bit," He replied finding my lips with his, and I couldn't object. The moment was endless, yet too short.**

"**Food," I finally muttered around his lips. He pulled me into his chest. , hugging me tightly, so that I could talk. "You need food; you look like you're starving." I said.**

**He started to walk in the direction of the kitchen, but I pushed down on his shoulder, watching him sink to the floor.**

"**Stay here. I'll be back with some food." I told him sternly. I could barely stand the separation of leaving him, but I told myself that he would be there when I got back. In the kitchen I grabbed a tray and loaded it with bottles of water and countless rolls, still a bit warm.**

**I rushed back to where I had left Ian, he was slouched against the rock wall, his eyes closed, breathing evenly. I laid the tray beside him sitting on the other side and resting my head on his shoulder.**

**I felt his shoulder rise as he inhaled the scent of the bread deeply. "Mmmm," He sighed reaching over and gulping down bottle after bottle of water before tearing into the rough rolls.**

**I sat there rubbing his shoulders, glad to have him with me again. "I love you." I whispered.**

"**You know I love you, and I missed you so much." He told me, running his fingers through my hair.**

**I sighed closing my eyes. I was able to sleep soundly for the first time that night, knowing that when I woke up, Ian would still be there.**


End file.
